


Rite Of Passage

by nhasablog



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Sibling Bonding, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 10:11:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14871782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: Fred and George decide to ease Harry into the concept of tickling within a family by tickling their siblings before getting him.





	Rite Of Passage

**Author's Note:**

> Since I’ve been getting several HP prompts recently, most of them asking for Fred and George but providing no plot or things I don’t necessarily want to write, I ended up coming up with my own idea that included several characters getting tickled, so hopefully this will satisfy you all! I hope you like it!

In retrospect there was probably a way to achieve their desired result without conducting a whole five or so part plan, but Fred and George would be lying if they said they weren’t up for a challenge.

It had all started with an observation. A brief moment that turned into a week long mission. One poke to Ron’s side and one poke to Harry’s, which then led to the realization that Harry hadn’t gotten much playful affection while growing up, let alone any affection at all. They’d wanted to change that.

But they knew the fourteen year old had to be overwhelmed enough as it was, hence the plan to show him what he was missing out on. Not in a cruel way, mind you, but purely to expose him to the idea of a family life so that he wouldn’t run the other way when it was directed at him.

“It’s perfect,” George had said the night before they’d set the plan in motion. “And no one will suspect a thing since this won’t be out of the ordinary.”

And no one did. Not really. Ron had complained when they’d trapped him against sofa and tickled the snot out of him, but it wasn’t a rare occurrence and everyone else - sans Harry - had simply rolled their eyes. The twins couldn’t deny they were having a whole lot of fun.

It was time to get Bill. They knew it wouldn’t be hard, but they also knew it would be filled with laughter from all parties, since their older brother was the only one daring enough to get them back.

He was an easy prey though, years of not living with them anymore resulting in him letting his guard down. Bad move, Billy boy.

“Too many people are around,” Fred murmured as they patted down the hallway and peeked into the lounge. “Why can’t Harry be alone with Ron and Bill like a normal human being? Everyone will witness our momentary glitch.”

“It’ll be worth it, though. I think.”

“It better be.”

They entered, shit-eating grins in place. Showing everyone that something was about to go down. Their act as bulletproof as ever.

“Isn’t this a sweet sight!” George sang, sitting down beside Bill, which was incidentally the only free seat. “Everyone gathered without us.”

“Gee, George. It’s almost as if we’re not part of the family.” Fred hovered beside them, but he reached out to ruffle Bill’s hair just as George threw his arm over his shoulders.

Bill rolled his eyes. “Do you know how impossible it is to have everyone gathered?”

“All the better reason to call for us.”

“Percy isn’t even here.”

“He isn’t?” Fred made a whole deal of looking around, catching the eyes of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, their father. “Huh. It seems you’re right. Mum and Charlie aren’t here either, I see.”

“You must forgive us,” George said. “We’re way more people than usually and I’m afraid our fragile eyes betrayed us.”

Bill snorted. “Of course. You didn’t just want to enter all melodramatically.”

“Us? Melodramatic?” George placed a hand over his chest. “Now I’ve never  _heard_ anything more correct.”

“Still, just because something is correct,” Fred said, poking Bill on that spot on his shoulder blade he knew was sensitive. “it doesn’t mean you have to say it.”

Bill jerked away from him, but unlike Ron - who would’ve complained immediately - he merely smiled good naturedly. “I have a feeling the two of you came in here with a purpose.”

“To be annoying, I’m sure.”

George pointed at Ron. “Better be careful, you.”

“That goes to you too,” Fred said, poking Bill again. “Here we are, wanting to spend time with our friends and family, and you accuse us of having ulterior motives?”

Bill turned his body a bit to bat his hand away. “Stop that.”

“Why? After all, shouldn’t we get our well deserved revenge for being so gravely disrespected?”

It all happened quickly. One moment Fred reached out once more to get his brother’s shoulder blades while George went from behind and got his ribs, the next they were a heap on the floor, all tangled limbs and mingling laughter. A regular sight in this household, really, though maybe not since Fred and George had hit puberty and most of the older Weasley kids had moved out.

Bill was stronger than them, but they were two. Besides, their quite large audience made them all the more eager to fight back when Bill inevitably got one of their worst spots. Their father might know of their weaknesses, but their siblings and friends didn’t need to see everything just now.

Only Harry.

When they untangled after Bill got Fred real good for having abused his shoulder blade so mercilessly, all three of them still giggling, the twins caught sight of Harry watching the whole scene with a mix of horror and amusement. Easing him into the whole concept.

They high fived when they were alone. It had been embarrassing, but worth it.

* * *

 

Next up was Charlie. They weren’t sure why they were doing it in chronological order, but they were, for the time being. They had quickly decided that they wouldn’t bother with Percy and would just skip him and get Ron immediately, and if they would throw Ginny before Harry or not was yet to be determined. All they knew was that Charlie was their second victim.

He hadn’t witnessed their battle with Bill, and thus didn’t suspect a thing when they approached him the next afternoon out in the garden. He was sitting by himself, watching Harry and Ron trying to show Hermione a trick with their brooms while she promptly refused to get on one herself. Ginny was standing beside them, her own broom by her feet, waiting for the boys to stop messing around.

“Oh, good,” Charlie said when they plopped down on either side of him. “Hermione won’t play, so we’ve been needing two more players.”

“Let them bicker for a moment longer.” George meant Ron and Hermione, since all Harry was doing was watching them as quietly as Ginny.

“They’re like an old married couple, those two,” Fred added.

Charlie laughed. “Maybe so. It’s a good thing they’ve got Harry around to keep them from killing each other.”

“You remember last year when they weren’t speaking?”

George nodded. “Merlin, that was bloody awful. Even we could feel the tension.”

“Poor Harry.”

“Poor Harry, indeed.”

“But anyway.” Fred threw his arm around Charlie’s shoulders. All subtlety. “How come you’re cowering all the way over here? Don’t want to get caught in the potential crossfire?”

“I’d rather steer clear of it,” Charlie said with a grin. “Though I’m sure if things get to that point Ginny will make them behave.”

“That’s why you have her standing there looking bored? Because you can’t be bothered to help?” Fred shook his head, mock disappointed. “I thought better of you, Charles.”

Charlie barked out a laugh. “I can deal with dragons. Teenagers are a whole other thing.”

“Coward.” George caught Fred’s eye briefly after saying that, both suppressing a grin.

“Hey now.” Charlie poked his chest. “I’m sure there’s a reason you’re both sitting here with me rather than over there with them.”

“Are you accusing us?”

“Evidently.”

“How dare you! Fred, have you heard?”

“I heard, George my boy, and I will not stand for it.”

They weren’t sure why they felt the need to hold a whole conversation before getting their older brothers, while they would for sure just attack Ron for no reason. Maybe it was because at least Bill and Charlie didn’t mind playing along, knowing something bigger was hiding behind it all. It was like a more adult version of playing pretend. Maybe their older brothers were just used to humoring them.

Charlie didn’t try to get them back like Bill had, only started squirming like crazy between them when their fingers found his neck and belly. Desperate to escape, but not quick enough to prevent his laughter from echoing over the yard, catching the others’ attention.

“Stop it!” he begged, falling back onto his back easily when Fred gave him a light shove. Giving them better access to every spot in a way Ron never would. They’d always had a theory that out of all their siblings, Charlie was the one to mind this the least.

“Not until you take back your awful accusations.”

“I take it back, I take it back!”

“We don’t believe you.”

“Do you guys have a mission to tickle us all or something?” Ron asked suspiciously when they finally let Charlie go a couple of minutes later.

“Yes, so you better behave, Ronald.”

* * *

 

Ronald did not behave, or so they claimed.

They could tell that Ron had a feeling he would be next, so he watched them carefully the next day, never staying long in a room if there were only the three of them. They didn’t mind, since they needed Harry in the room to continue their mission anyway.

“If Ron knew of our plan he would probably cooperate,” George mused as they ascended the stairs. “He wouldn’t be happy about it, and he would complain the whole time, but he would let us do it.”

“It’s more fun to catch him off guard, though.”

“That’s true.”

They entered the bedroom they all shared and jumped on Ron immediately, not waiting for a reason to do so.

“You haven’t behaved,” Fred told him. “You keep acting all jumpy around us, so we might as well end your suffering.”

“It’s for your own good,” George added, and they set to work before Ron could protest.

It was probably a bit awkward for Harry, who was the only other person in the room, to just sit there and watch them, but they weren’t planning on torturing Ron for too long anyway. Just enough to get a good laugh out of him.

Not that he wasn’t complaining the whole time. Fred went for his knees and Ron cursed his existence. George got his sides and Ron promised to kill him in his sleep. It was kind of hilarious.

“Have you had enough?” George asked.

“Yehehes!”

“You ready to stop being a jumpy mess?”

“Yes, just stohohop!”

They did, and when they caught sight of Harry he was grinning.

* * *

 

They decided to get Ginny next, since there was no way they were getting Hermione. At this point their mission had already lasted for several days, mostly because Ginny had probably sensed that something was up and had somehow managed to avoid them for two whole days. This just wouldn’t do.

“Oh, sister dear!”

Ginny perked up when they entered the kitchen where she was drinking hot chocolate with their mother, Harry, Ron and Hermione. She obviously knew what was coming.

“We haven’t seen you in days,” they told her, and since the seats beside her were taken they satisfied themselves with walking up to her and hugging her as if they’d been apart for years. She laughed into their arms, although she didn’t hug them back. Clever girl.

“Why have you been avoiding us, huh?” Fred asked as their mother tried to usher them to sit down and let her finish her drink in peace. If only she knew.

“You know why,” she replied easily.

“That’s true,” George admitted. “But we’re not happy about this avoidance.”

“Mum, make them get away from me.”

She was playing dirty. They’d give her that.

Fortunately they managed to get her in the hallway a little while later before Harry and company went upstairs, the three of them starting at Ginny’s sudden laughter echoing around the house.

“Don’t be mehehean!” she cried, and they realized simultaneously how long it had been since they’d tickled their little sister. What used to be a habit had become a rarity, sadly. It was harder to do this at Hogwarts.

“Leave her alone, guys,” Hermione somewhere behind them.

“Oh, so you defend her, but no one else?” Ron asked, Ginny’s laughter just about drowning him out.

“She wasn’t around when you-” they heard Harry say just before Ginny kicked George straight in the face, giving him a nosebleed. The things you did for Harry Potter.

* * *

 

At least they now only had Harry Potter left. They weren’t sure if he suspected that he would be a part of it all as well, but if he did he didn’t show it.

They decided to get him alone, or at least with only Ron around, which turned out to be more difficult than they’d expected. Someone else seemed to always be around, and when it was bedtime they just didn’t think it the right time.

But luck was on their side, as it usually was.

They found Harry alone in the backyard, most likely enjoying the peace. They were almost sorry for what they were about to do.

They sat down on either side of him, visibly startling him with their sudden appearance. “Hello, Harry.”

“Hello,” he replied, a curious tone to his voice.

“Enjoying the day?”

“Or should we say the calm.”

Harry’s lips quirked in a sheepish grin. “Something like that.”

“We don’t blame you. Every family can get too much at one point.”

He shrugged. “I like this family.”

“And this family likes you.”

He flushed so suddenly the twins almost laughed in surprise.

“Oh, Harry, Harry.” George knocked their shoulders together while Fred slung his arm around him, a move so obvious at this point he wondered how Harry didn’t shrug it off.

“I must say, that blush looks exceptionally good on you.”

Harry shook his head, eyes anywhere but on them. “Shut up.”

“Why, are we embarrassing you?”

“There are other ways for a face to get red, you know.”

And that was when they realized Harry really hadn’t expected them to get him too, if the utter shock on his face as they dug into his sides simultaneously was any indication. It was almost too pure to witness, too sad to think of for too long.

So they didn’t think of it, only focused on figuring out his most sensitive spots. They hadn’t tickled someone new in ages, so they were excited.

Harry seemed excited too. Excited and confused.

“What are you dohohoing?” he asked through the giggles that had started pouring out of his mouth the moment they first touched his upper body.

“Tickling you, of course! To show that your face can get red for other reasons too.” Lame excuse, but they didn’t care.

They’d tickled Harry briefly before, as had Ron, but they felt like this was different. This was a rite of passage, a way to show that he was a part of the family now. That had been the whole purpose of the mission, after all.

Fred and George had decided to not go overboard, but to simply tickle him enough to show him that he would have to endure this from now on. Enough to get his pulse rising and to get him out of breath. That didn’t actually take too long.

To Harry it probably did, though. They couldn’t imagine what it would be like to experience this without having grown up with it.

They trapped him easily between them, the wall they were leaning against keeping him upright as they went to town on his sides and ribs, Fred squeezing and George poking. They’d never heard Harry laugh this hard before. It was refreshing.

“Wait!” he cried. “Please, I can’t-”

“Can’t what? Handle it?”

Fred moved upward to flutter his fingers over Harry’s neck, relishing in the shriek he let out. He was sure someone would eventually hear them and come see what all the commotion was about, but hopefully they could wait for a couple of minutes.

“Don’t,” he said, his laughter going silent, elbow digging into George’s side as he flailed around in desperation.

They kept up the playful torture for a moment longer, getting his knees, thighs, belly, shoulder blades (that weren’t as bad as Bill’s), before finally releasing him, grinning as he gasped for air.

“There’s the red face,” Fred said.

“Told you it was possible.”

“You two are awful,” he choked out, his smile still lingering on his lips.

They patted his back. “Welcome to the family.”

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my [tumblr](http://nhasablog.tumblr.com).


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